Dell replacement laptop problems....again.....

[RAGING, HUGE WALL OF TEXT ]

So a while back (June 18th 2009) I sent in a request for Dell to ship me out a replacement laptop for my 1536. After about 3 weeks and a bunch of bull crap filled with delays and excuses, it arrived.

I got it set it up (past the EULA and all that stuff) leaving all the Dell bloatware on the system. I proceeded to use the system for about 5 minutes:

Thats when the WiFi cut off and kept trying to reconnect (though 3 other laptops, 2 pc's and a ps3 were connected w/ internet).

After this, my CPU started to spike from 50-100% at one second intervals and repeatedly refreshing whatever window was open - making it impossible to use the laptop.

I thought that this could be fixed by a simple Windows reinstall. Using the Dell Windows Vista Home Premium 32 SP1 disk provided by Dell, I experienced the same issue with the processor spike and the install failed 3/4 times. After I did manage to install it, it still pulled the same processor spiking crap.

I installed Windows Vista Ultimate 32(OEM - my own)with no luck.

I had the same problem with Vista Home Premium SP1 x64 and Windows Vista Home Premium 32 non sp1, all the Home Premium disks are Dell Branded.

The Ultimate disk was a Windows Anytime Upgrade. - The Dell disks used were all fresh out of the packaging.

After installing windows, I ejected the disk and noticed multiple circular scratches on the disks (all 4 of them).

I attempted to do a Dell Factory restore which the CPU spiking happened all the time and it kept refreshing the command prompt and typing on its own, or registering keystrokes that were wrong (say if I pressed A, it would read as ê or something of the sort).
--------END OF RAGING PART 1---------

Is there any way that I can get a refund.

I am sick and tired of Dell's BS as this is the second Studio 15 to go out on me, and the replacement died literaly 2 days (and 4 hrs of use incl. Windows installs).

I fear that I will have to do another replacement or repair (and cannot lose my laptop again for 4 weeks).

Is there anything that I can do to get a Studio 1555 or an XPS1530 like some users round here have managed? A replacement for anything but a 1535/1536/1537.

---------- end of raging part 2--------------

Any help appreciated,
Please and thanks,
Dspr_02

ps: on the funny side :

I ran the Dell diagnostics and it told me that there were no problems found with my system. Then "Press Y to continue testing or N to exit.

I hit y, the keyboard did not respond, I hit N, the keyboard did not respond.

I hit the power button, the system started beeping and did not shut off (even after 30 seconds).

I rebooted by pulling out the battery and it gave me a screen saying to connect an AC adapter of 65W or greater to continue using my laptop, though it is connected, the LED on the brick is Green and the LED on the laptop is White....

[/RAGING, HUGE WALL OF TEXT ]

 

.... You should just hear my story.... you at least got a computer in 3 weeks....

 

I managed to at them long enough and often enough to send the laptop with express overnight shipping....

Though they did really screw up with sending me another defective laptop.

The problems are also occuring in UBCD...where it will start to beep like crazy on the CPU Burn In Test.

 

I got a 1555 as a replacement for my 1535 the first time. I'm not sure what might be different in your case...

Ah well. Nothing to do but try again, I suppose.

 

I have a feeling the adapter is F**ked up, Is the laptop overheating or getting nearly as hot.

 

The laptop is getting hotter than my old one but it is not over heating. The adapter worked before the error. I think that may laptop is F**ked up...again.

I ran mem test for the better part of 13 hrs and no errors..but mem test only checks the RAM as far as I know..if im wrong, please correct me.

 

Maybe try putting in another harddrive? What is dell saying to you know?

 

They are telling me that it is a "Corrupted windows instalation"...which is utter bs since I did reistall 4 times (sucessfuly that is). Also, when installing windows and booting the installer from the disk, I still get the 100% cpu usage thing.

Isn't Dell's policy something along the lines of "They have to send me a FULLY WORKING replacement"?

If so, I got screwed over and am heavily angered and disappointed at their support (or lack there of).

 

So I ran several CPU tests and ended up with the same result on all of them:

 

Check this out it deals with the spikes in a NEWER AMD CPU.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=373878

 

Here is a really really crappy cellphone quality video of the problem:
And Here is the HQ version =P.

 

LOL... looks like a heartbeat on steroids... haha

Call them back and tell them that the computer is not working and talk to the manager???

 

Oh...I will. Well, not me, my stepdad will since he knows the best way to raise hell with minimal damage. Think they'd give me a replacement....again.....since they are obligated to give a fully 100% functional system as a replacement, and what I got is not anywhere near that.

On a happier note:
I think that the Performance thing with the spiking, I assume it is my laptop having a heart attack or something.

[SARCASM]I SURE HOPE IT DOES NOT DIE BECAUSE OF THAT[/SARCASM]

 

hum.... they will probably want to pull it to the depot and stuff before they send you a replacement..... You still are under warranty?

 

Till may 18th of 2010....but I think my step dad will demand a replacement for a new studio series.

He managed to do that with my old Studio 1536 which was quite a bit more usable than this one.

Plus he is beyond fed up with the fact that we had to go through a storm to get the laptop from the States to Canada without paying duty and taxes by waiting for a document that never came, classifying the package as a replacement. No one at Dell bothered telling us that it is included in the packaging for the replacement. He is also fed up with the fact that this is the second Studio 1536 to go bad within 2 weeks (old one took 2 weeks to mess up, this one took about 2 hrs). So like I said before, Hell will be raised.....question is:

How far will it go...XPSM1710?

---UPDATE---

Now my system won't even boot into windows, gets to the startup orb and BSoD's no matter how many times I restart.

 

umm, Ill tell you what i did with my dear buddies at compaq..who were not willing to accept the issues. I made videos of the problems happening on the laptop and sent all of them across to a guy high up in the company. there was some nice text in the mail about how the case will next go to consumer court ( a judicial department in india that handles consumer issues). the bundle of documentation and evidence hit like a hammer. the cheque with full refund was ready in 5 days flat.gave them the laptop ( sans everything else it came with) and took the cheque.

so grab hold of whatever video capable cam you have and shoot away. don't worry about quality of the video. as long as the problem can be seen easily, it fine. I did it all with a mobile phone cam.

and find out a person high up enough in the firm. talk to the guy and dump all this in his mailbox.it will go to a new precision if you can take it there.

 

Yea...I will wait and see if they send me a studio 1555 and if they don't well....they are in for some usual fun....

 

why do you bother to wait? they will send a refurb.

hit it while it' hot ..

 

Gotta wait till stepdad gets home and starts to yell at em...he'll be really happy to know that the fu**er does not even boot into windows anymore.

Untill then...well......I, I...I got nothing....

 

I have a feeling that a key is stuck, why dont you take out the keyboard and use an external one.

 

A stuck key will not prevent booting into Windows or cause Blue Screen errors.

 

chatting em up now...

 

Got a refund...well a reference number for a refund. Guy walked us through doing a factory restore but after wards, the system did not get past the bios.

I think that this may be among my last times on the Dell section of these forums =( .

 

Awww... How much was your system? You could always buy another Dell..... haha Like I said before, there is still a reason why they are one of the biggest sellers of computers. Lemons happen.

 

I couldn't agree more. And that means a lot coming from you, Stabilo. I know your recent experience with Dell has been less than perfect.

My Studio 1535 was a lemon, but I got it replaced with a nice Studio 1555. And my mother's Latitude E6400 has never had any problems. I would certainly trust Dell with another purchase.

 

Naw I mean the reality is that many of us here find this forum because we want help with a certain issue... there will be lots of lemons on the forum.
My sister has a Dell D810 and it's been flawless for 4 years now. Battery still lasts 2 hours too...
It's still hard to beat a Dell for the price of the system. They are often the best bang for buck.

 

If I do buy a dell again, it will be from Canada to avoid all this unnecessary bull-BLAM- that I faced with having to go to and from the border for replacements.

And I will probably be laptop less for a while until I find something that DOES work and will not crap out on me.

Originaly laptop was 670 CAD (579.96 USD)

 

Yea... gonna be hard to match that kind of deal....

 

Dunno if I mentioned THIS but I may just go for it since Dell really pissed me off, and I trusted Asus for 7 years and never was disappointed with them or their PC motherboards!

 

Just go for a dell, no offense why did you even buy the 1536 when it wasn't even powerful. If i were you i would just buy a studio 1537, cause i have had no problems with it.

 

The 1536 was a retail-only model. And the 1537 isn't really any more power than the 1536, it just uses Intel instead of AMD.

 

Well, after yesterday's 3 or 4 hrs of HELL I thought it was over when the Tech Support rep gave us the go ahead for a refund.

I was wrong.

After we finished talking with him, we realized the Custormer Service was closed (not anyone's fault). Today we called them up and after transfer after transfer for 1 hour, they hung up on us.

Went through the same procedure again but this time with their reps saying

Finally got a supervisor and she FINALLY send the e-mail with the shipping information and the UPS card(can't think of the proper word...damn, I hate mornings...) with all the data and crap on it.

Would I be eligible for even a gift card from Dell for all the troubles that I went through with the Replacement and the hours spent talking on the phone?

 

So wait are they giving you the refund, if so i would even push more for a gift card for all your troubles.
Shrooms i meant to say that the system wasn't even popular, i couldnt even customize the 1536 on dells website.

 

That'd be too much of a hassle. And I do feel like screaming because I either broke or fractured my right hand an wrist...gotta wait 2 or 3 weeks for the bloody thing to heal now =(.

 

How did you do that? Punch your computer? That really sucks!

 

I not quite getting you are you getting a refund and what is dell doing for you?

 

The 1536 was never available on Dell's website; it was a retail-only model.

 

Naw, bro pissed me off beyond my limit. Figured the floor was a better option than his face or the wall...

 

Ha... so you punched the floor......... yikes. Next time try hitting the bed.... or a pillow.... or hitting a golf ball or something

 

Wow your tuff punching the floor, what did the floor do to you mr. big guy.

 

well parents cant see a hole in the floor, now can they? But a hole in my bro's head, or the wall....now thats a different story...and pricey.

 

They can't see it... but they could fall in it.

I also think it might be cheaper to drywall then it is to replace flooring... haha

 

Coming from a guy who had to do all the flooring and walls for his own room...Stabilo's right. Drywall is much less of a pain in the you-know-what to fix or replace than pretty much any kind of floor.

 

Well, I didn't exactly leave a hole in the floor, just a little fist sized dent....and my bro tried the drywall, punched straight through the wall into the bathroom...that was pretty funny since he had to fix and paint all the wall upstairs about a year ago...=P

 

you guys are violent.... mate.

 

Naw, we are not violent, we are brothers....and evil....

Violence never happens in our house (to our houe....its a different story) by means of person to person or person to cat. Though Cat to Person has been known to happen.

Most fights are done with words... big BOLD CAPSLOCK words.